Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/864

 84:6 MORRIS MORRIS DANCE frequently borrowed large sums for the use of the government. In 1780 Mr. Morris, in con- junction with other citizens of Philadelphia, established a bank, by means of which 3,000,- 000 rations of provisions and 300 hogsheads of rum were forwarded to the army. On Feb. 20, 1781, he was unanimously elected superinten- dent of finance, and by subsequent resolutions of congress was invested with almost the entire control of the financial affairs of the govern- ment. At this time the treasury was more than $2,500,000 in debt, the army was destitute, and the credit of the country exhausted. He es- tablished the bank of North America, which was incorporated by congress Dec. 81, 1781, and went into operation Jan. 7, 1782, with a capital of $400,000. Pennsylvania and several other states soon afterward passed laws to pro- tect and facilitate its operations ; and it proved very efficient in relieving the government of its embarrassments. In the beginning of 1781 he furnished the army with several thousand barrels of flour ; and in the campaign of that year he supplied nearly everything required for the expedition against Cornwallis. For this purpose he issued his own notes to the amount of $1,400,000, which were finally all paid. But, harassed by the claims of the public creditors, and indignant at the indisposition of the sev- eral states to fulfil their engagements, Mr. Mor- ris resigned in January 1783, but consented to serve until May 1, and did not finally withdraw until November, 1784. On May 6, 1784, con- gress at his urgent request appointed three commissioners to superintend the treasury, and a committee to inspect the conduct of the de- partment. He published a long and able ac- count of his administration. Before he resigned he issued a public notice pledging himself per- sonally to provide for his engagements in behalf of the government. No agent of marine being appointed, Mr. Morris, as superintendent of finance, was compelled to regulate the affairs of the navy until the close of 1784. He aided in obtaining the renewal of the charter of the bank of North America in 1786, which had been annulled by the Pennsylvania legislature in 1784. In 1787 he was a member of the con- vention which framed the federal constitution ; and on Oct. 1, 1788, he was elected a member of the first United States senate. He declined the post of secretary of the treasury offered to him by Washington, and recommended Alexander Hamilton as a suitable incumbent. In partnership with Gouverneur Morris, in the spring of 1784, he sent to Canton the first American vessel that ever appeared in that port. In his old age he lost his fortune by land speculation, and during the latter years of his life was confined in prison for debt. Mr. Morris was an impressive public speaker and an able writer. MORRIS, Thomas A., an American bishop, born in Kanawha co., Va., April 28, 1794, died in Springfield, O., Sept. 2, 1874. He was licensed as a preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church in 1814, and joined the Ohio conference in 1816. He labored in the itinerant ministry in Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee till 1834, when he was elected first editor of the " West- ern Christian Advocate" at Cincinnati. In 1836 he was elected bishop. For several years previous to his death, through physical infir- mity, he was debarred from active duty. He published "Sermons," and " Sketches of West- ern Methodism" (Cincinnati, 1852). MORRIS, William, an English poet, born near London in 1834. He is the eldest son of a merchant who died in 1844, leaving a large estate. He was educated at Forest school in Walthamstow, at Marlborough, and at Exeter college, Oxford. He studied painting, but did not succeed in that profession. In 1858 he published a small volume entitled " The De- fence of Guenevere, and other Poems." In 1863, with several partners, he set up in Lon- don an establishment for the artistic designing and manufacture of various articles, especially wall paper, stained glass, tiles, and household decorations. At this business Morris has ever since wrought as a designer, giving his even- ings to the composition of poetry. He pub- lished " The Life and Death of Jason," a nar- rative poem, in 1867, and "The Earthly Para- dise " (4 parts) in 1868-71. The latter poem is made up of 24 legendary and romantic tales in verse, recited by a company of voyagers who had sailed westward from Norway to find the earthly paradise. He has also published a poem entitled " Love is Enough, or the Freeing of Pharamond " (1873), and, in connection with Eirikr Magnusson, " The Story of the Volsungs and the Niblungs," translated from the Eddas. MORRIS DANCE, an old English dance, usually performed with castanets, tabors, staves, or swords, by young men lightly dressed, with bells fixed about their legs, and parti-colored ribbons streaming from their arms and shoul- ders. It is supposed to be derived from the Morisco or Moorish dance still popular in Spain under the title of the fandango. It can be traced as early as the reign of Henry VII., when it was one of the sports of May day, Holy Thursday, the Whitsun ales, weddings, and other festivals. In the May game it was often performed by persons representing Robin Hood, Little John, Friar Tuck, Maid Marian, the fool, Tom the piper, and the hobby-horse. The May festivities of Robin Hood were chief- ly designed for the encouragement of archery, and it is not certain that either he or his com- panions were prominent in the dance. Maid Marian is supposed to represent his mistress, but the part was often filled by a boy dressed in a girl's habit, and called queen of the May. It was once usual for the queen to be splendidly attired, but after the degeneracy of the dance the character was personated by a clown, who obtained the name of Malkin. Friar Tuck maintained his place in the sport till the reign of Elizabeth. The fool bore a bauble in his hand, and a coxcomb hood with asses' ears on